The program called SNAP has just come to our attention and we’re sharing that information this week. SNAP stands for Senior Neighborhood Awareness Program and it’s made available through Volunteers in Police Services, a part of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
Started in 2008, the Volunteers in Police Services is a group of enthusiastic individuals who are trained to national standards to assist the sheriff ‘s office in a variety of non-law enforcement duties such as citizen patrols, property checks, traffic surveys, radar monitoring, administrative duties, and the Senior Neighborhood Awareness Program, just to name a few.
The Senior Neighbor Awareness Program is for seniors and disabled residents of Cumberland County who may benefit from a quick check-in from someone they can trust.
A member of the VIP group will call participants between 8 and 10 a.m. to ensure they are OK. If a participant does not answer the phone, their designated emergency contact will be contacted and if they don’t know where the participant is, the volunteer will go to the home to check up.
If you are a Cumberland County citizen over the age of 60 and/or disabled, you are eligible. No one has been turned down. The program is free, and it is easy to sign up. If you or someone you know are living alone and there is a need for daily contact, or if you would like more information, call 239-9755. You will easily be able to register for this program.
SNAP sounds like a wonderful, possibly life-saving program. Many of us either live alone or know someone who does. If we are used to calling each day or on a regular basis and that call doesn’t happen, we can spend stressful hours wondering if something is wrong.
Years ago, it was common for elderly people to live with a family member. Times have changed and today, quite a number of people live alone, so a program like SNAP is very worthwhile.
Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by email at kso48@aol.com, or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
